Music, blindingly GREAT music.

Justin Hawkins launches Dark Fire at Gibson

The Gibson’s Dark Fire guitar is with out a doubt the most technologically advanced guitar that has ever been made. The guitar which looks very similar to a Gibson Standard Les Paul can tune it’s self and has a staggering 200 presets of different tunings. The PR launch for the guitar which is going to in he shops next Monday has certainly been “interesting”. Last week the PR manager and I went around various landmarks in London and projected the Dark Fire guitar on the side of various London landmarks. Battersea Power Station went smoothly however when we tried our antics at the Tower of London were swiftly cautioned by the police under the anti terrorism act!

Thankfully the launch at Gibson’s studio went without to many hiccups. Justin Hawkins, new band Hot Leg were set to perform a private showcase at Gibson’s studio and to showcase the guitar which needed to be flown in from Germany especially for the occasion. Before the gig I did a couple of PR shots of the band which no doubt will be used to promote the guitar over the coming months. This was the first time I had met Justin and the rest of the band and have to say found them very friendly and accommodating (photographers have the tendency to ask bands do the most ridiculous things).

The gig was very good and very different to the other showcases that I have covered at Gibson’s studios in the past. If you are familiar with Justin Hawkins previous band “The Darkness” you will know what to expect, Hot Leg musically are a mish mash of 70’s glam rock such as Mott the Hoople mixed in with a bit of Hani Rocks and Queen. Hawkins being a great front man pulls it off with effortless ease and the songs although a bit rockier than his previous band are extremely catchy and memorable. Their new single “I met Jesus” is a wonderful pastiche of early Queen and although it may not reach the number 1 slot that Hawkins is hoping for certainly will put his new band on the map. The band are playing across February and March in the UK details of their shows can be found on they MySpace page.